Building Brandwidth

About the Authors

Sergio Zyman, the former chief marketing officer of The Coca-Cola Company, is the founder and CEO of Z Marketing. Renowned for his no-nonsense approach to marketing, Zyman's strategies transformed Coca-Cola's advertising landscape, turning the brand into a global powerhouse. His insights into the intricacies of brand management and consumer behavior are invaluable, providing a solid foundation for the concepts discussed in this book.

Scott Miller founded the Sawyer-Miller Group, the world's largest political consultancy. Miller's expertise in political strategy and communications brings a unique perspective to the business world, especially in understanding how to craft messages that resonate with diverse audiences. Together, Zyman and Miller combine their expertise to provide a comprehensive guide to building brandwidth in the digital age.

Main Idea

"Building Brandwidth: Closing the Sale Online" by Sergio Zyman and Scott Miller delves into the essential strategies for creating a robust online brand presence that not only attracts but also retains customers, ultimately driving sales. In the wake of the dot-com bubble burst, many Internet companies struggled to generate profits despite innovative ideas and significant traffic. Zyman and Miller argue that the root cause is a fundamental misunderstanding of effective marketing and sales strategies in the digital realm.

The book introduces the concept of "brandwidth," emphasizing the importance of creating a structure of brand meaning and power by consistently adding value to customer relationships. This relationship evolves with each interaction, gradually building a strong, loyal customer base. The authors guide readers through the three phases of e-Marketing, highlighting the critical need to differentiate between website traffic and actual sales, and how to bridge this gap using traditional branding principles adapted for the online environment.

Table of Contents

1. Prologue: Purchase Intent and the First Internet Super Bowl
2. What is Brandwidth?
3. What is e-Marketing?
4. Getting Busy with e-Marketing
5. How Do You Build Brandwidth?
6. Marketing at Warp Speed
7. Brandwidth and Public Relations
8. The Return of the Merchant
9. Obsolete Yourself, Before Someone Does It to You

Prologue: Purchase Intent and the First Internet Super Bowl

The prologue sets the stage by examining the impact of advertising during the 2000 Super Bowl, a landmark event where Internet companies played a significant role. Zyman and Miller conducted a comprehensive study to measure the effectiveness of these ads, focusing on purchase intent—the most reliable predictor of actual consumer behavior. They found that ad likability did not correlate with purchase intent, challenging the conventional wisdom that more likable ads are more effective.

"Ad likability is a poor predictor of purchase intent." - Sergio Zyman

For instance, while USA Today ranked Pepsi-Cola's Super Bowl ads high in likability from 1996 to 1998, the company's volume growth lagged behind Coca-Cola Classic's. This discrepancy highlights the need for marketers to focus on driving purchase intent rather than just creating likable ads.

What is Brandwidth?

Brandwidth is more than just a catchy term; it's a comprehensive approach to building a brand's presence, relevance, differentiation, credibility, and imagery online. The Internet, with its vast reach and rapid evolution, requires businesses to move beyond mere awareness and focus on delivering value to customers.